The Preakness Stakes 2019 - The 144th Black-Eyed Susans

On Saturday, 18 May, the 144th running of the Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the Triple Crown races will once again be run at Pimlico Race Course, Old Hilltop, outside of Baltimore, Maryland.  This year, the Race for the Black-Eyed Susans has a post time of 6:48 EDT, and a field of 13 colts will race for a guaranteed purse of $1,650,000.00.  The race is 1 and 3/16 miles long (9.5 furlongs), and all entries will be carrying 126 pounds.  The race record was set in 1973 by Secretariat, who won the distance in 1:53 flat.
   After the Kentucky Derby controversy, Maximum Security is not running in the other Triple Crown races.  Country House, who was declared the winner, is being treated for virus and will also miss both races.  War of Will, who was shown to have run up into Maximum Security, kicking and cutting his hind legs for five strides - and finally placing a knee in the leader's testicles, causing him to run out - will be there. (See my blog from May 11, and look at the video embedded in the news story.)
   So twelve colts and one gelding are entered to run in the Preakness.  Ten were bred in Kentucky, Win Win Win and Warrior's Charge were bred in Florida, and Alwaysmining was bred in Maryland. Alwaysmining is the only gelding entered.  Eleven of the horses are bays or dark bay-browns, and there are two chestnuts - Improbable and Laughing Fox.  The thirteen entries represent twelve stallions - two are sons of Into Mischief.  And four of the colts ran in the Kentucky Derby - Improbable, who finished 4th; War of Will, who finished 7th; Win Win Win, who finished 9th; and Bodexpress, who finished 13th.*  All of the horses in the Kentucky Derby actually finished one place farther back than listed, since Maximum Security, who was the horse that was actually fouled, was moved back to 17th place. *
   Listed below are the post positions drawn by the entrants; the entry's name; the morning line betting odds;  (1) the sire; (2) the trainer; and (3) the jockey:
  1.   War of Will          4 to 1     (1) War Front     (2) Mark Casse     (3) Tyler Gaffalione
  2.   Bourbon War      12 to 1    (1) Tapit            (2) Mark Hennig   (3) Irad Ortiz Jr
  3.   Warrior's Charge   12 to 1    (1)Munnings    (2) Brad Cox      (3) Javiar Castellano
  4.   Improbable           5 to 2     (1) City Zip       (2) Bob Baffert     (3) Mike Smith
  5.   Owendale            10 to 1     (1) Into Mischief   (2) Brad Cox    (3) Florent Geroux
  6.   Market King       30 to 1     (1) Into Mischief   (2) D Wayne Lukas   (3) Jon Court
  7.   Alwaysmining      8 to 1      (1) Stay Thirsty  (2) Kelly Rubley   (3) David Centeno
  8.   Signalman           30 to 1      (1) General Quarters   (2) Kenny McPeek  (3) Brian Hernandez Jr
  9.   Bodexpress          20 to 1      (1) Bodemeister   (2) Gustavo Delgado  (3) John Velasquez
 10.  Everfast               50 to 1      (1) Take Charge Indy  (2) Dale Romans  (3) Joel Rosario
 11.  Laughing Fox      20 to 1      (1) Union Rags    (2) Steve Asmussen   (3) Ricardo Santana
 12.  Anothertwistafate   6 to 1     (1) Scat Daddy    (2) Blaine Wright   (3) Jose Ortiz
 13.  Win Win Win       15 to 1     (1) Hat Trick (JPN)  (2) Michael Trombetta   (3) Julian Pimentel

Kentucky Derby Post Positions & Morning Line Betting Odds

The post positions have been drawn and morning line betting odds appointed for Saturday's 145th running of the Kentucky Derby.  The starting gate will be full, with 20 entries, unless there are scratches.  Bodexpress is the lone colt on the "waiting list," if there happens to be a scratch before 9 a.m. on Friday (his named jockey is Chris Landero and he is trained by Gustavo Delgado).
  All of the starters will race 1 and 1/4 miles (10 furlongs) over the main dirt track at Churchill Downs; each will carry 126 pounds; and there is a guaranteed purse of $3 million.  Below are the post positions, the entry, the morning line betting odds, the name of the jockey, and the name of  the trainer.
   1.   War of Will               20 to 1          Tyler Gaffalione - Mark Casse
   2.   Tax                            20 to 1          Junior Alvarado - Danny Gargan
   3.   By My Standards      20 to 1          Gabriel Saez - Bret Calhoun
   4.   Gray Magician         50 to 1          Drayden Van Dyke - Peter Miller
   5.   Improbable                6 to 1           Irad Ortiz Jr - Bob Baffert
   6.   Vekoma                     20 to 1          Javier Castellano - George Weaver
   7.   Maximum Security  10 to 1           Luis Saez - Jason Servis
   8.   Tacitus                      10 to 1           Jose Ortiz - Bill Mott
   9.   Plus Que Parfait      30 to 1           Ricardo Santana Jr - Brendan Walsh
  10.  Cutting Humor         30 to 1          Corey Lanerie - Todd Pletcher
  11.  Haikal                       30 to 1           Rajiv Maragh - Kiaran McLaughlin
  12.  Omaha Beach            4 to 1           Mike Smith - Richard Mandella
  13.  Code of Honor          15 to 1           John Velasquez - Shug McGaughey
  14.  Win Win Win             15 to 1          Julian Pimentel - Michael Trombetta
  15.  Master Fencer (JPN)   50 to 1       Julian Leparoux - Koichi Tsunoda
  16.  Game Winner             5 to 1           Joel Rosario - Bob Baffert
  17.  Roadster                      6 to 1          Florent Geroux - Bob Baffert
  18.  Long Range Toddy    30 to 1          Jon Court - Steve Asmussen
  19.  Spinoff                       30 to 1          Manny Franco - Todd Pletcher
  20.  Country House          30 to 1          Flavien Prat - Bill Mott     

I wish all of the colts who race the very best racing luck.  I hope there are no injuries before, during, or after the race.  I wish all of the jockeys and the 16 trainers the best of luck.  I wish all of the connections - owners, breeders, barn workers, and families - all of the very best.  Here's to a beautifully run and injury free Kentucky Derby 145!          

Kentucky Oaks Today, Derby Tomorrow

It was raining early this morning at Churchill Downs, and the main track surface was given a "sloppy" rating, while the turf track is listed as "good."  The weather forecasters say there will be periods of both rain and sun throughout today.   The Kentucky Oaks, the female version of the Derby, is scheduled to leave the starting gate at 6:12 EST this afternoon.  There is a full field of 15 fillies, who will each carry 121 pounds, over the main track for 1 and 1/8 miles.  The purse for this year's Oaks is $1 million...  I'll be listing post position, filly, morning line betting odds, sire, and coat color. All of the Oaks entries were born in Kentucky.
1     Ever So Clever         20 to 1         Medaglia d'Oro    dark bay
2     Lockdown                20 to 1          First Defence       dark bay
3     Mopotism                 20 to 1         Uncle Mo             bay
4     Paradise Woods         5 to 2          Union Rags          bay
5     Jordan's Henny         30 to 1         Henny Hughes     gray/roan
6     Vexatious                  20 to 1         Giant's Causeway   bay
7     Farrell                        5 to 1          Malibu Moon        bay
8     Sailor's Valentine      30 to 1         Mizzen Mast         gray/roan
9     Wicked Lick             30 to 1         Maclean's Music   chestnut
10   Miss Sky Warrior       9 to 2         First Samurai         dark bay
11   Tequilita                   20 to 1          Union Rags            bay
12   Daddy's Lil Darling   20 to 1        Scat Daddy            dark bay
13   Abel Tasman               5 to 1         Quality Road         bay
14   Salty                            6 to 1          Quality Road        bay
15   Summer Luck            30 to 1         Lookin At Lucky   bay

There have been no scratches in the Kentucky Derby field for tomorrow.  Girvin, who has a quarter crack in one hoof, will be wearing glued-on shoes.  Following are the 20 starters, with their jockeys and trainers listed...
1     Looking at Lee         Corey Lanerie                   Steven Asmussen
2     Thunder Snow          Christophe Soumillon      Saeed bin Suroor  
3     Fast and Accurate    Channing Hill                  Michael Maker 
4     Untrapped                 Ricardo Santana, Jr        Steven Asmussen 
5     Always Dreaming     John Velazquez                Todd Pletcher
6     State of Honor          Jose Lezcano                    Mark Casse
7     Girvin                        Mike Smith                       Joe Sharp
8     Hence                        Florent Geroux                 Steven Asmussen
9     Irap                           Mario Guttierrez               Doug O'Neill
10   Gunnevera                Javier Castellano              Antonio Sano
11   Battle of Midway      Flavio Prat                       Jerry Hollendorfer
12   Sonneteer                  Kent Desormeaux            Keith Desormeaux
13   J Boys Echo              Luis Saez                          Dale Romans
14   Classic Empire         Julien Leparoux              Mark Casse
15   McCraken                Brian J Hernandez, Jr     Ian Wilkes
16   Tapwrit                     Jose Ortiz                          Todd Pletcher
17   Irish War Cry          Rajiv Maragh                    Graham Motion
18   Gormley                    Victor Espinoza                 John Shirreffs
19   Practical Joke          Joel Rosario                       Chad Brown
20   Patch                         Tyler Gaffalione                Todd Pletcher

May all the races be cleanly run (figuratively, since there will be mud everywhere), and may no horses or jockeys have any injuries......

The Pegasus World Cup Invitational

The first (hopefully, annual) Pegasus World Cup Invitational horse race will be run on Saturday, 28 January at Gulfstream Park in Florida.  The race will be run at a distance of 1 1/8 miles on the main dirt track.  The starting time is listed as 5:40 p.m.  EST.  NBC will have live coverage.
    The Pegasus has several unique features.  The race is for four-year-olds and up - handicap horses, in other words.  Each entrant has paid a $1 million entry fee; to ensure a full gate, and good race, if a horse becomes ill or lame and must scratch, another horse may be named to race in its place.  The winner of this race will receive $7 million; second place receives $1,750,000; third place receives $1 million; all others will receive a payment of $250,000 each.
    Frank Stronach, who decided upon the rules for the race, would like to have the race be free of any race-day drugs.  As an incentive, any horse that does not use Lasix gets a 5 pound allowance in weight.  Only one horse will do so, Eragon, the four-year-old Argentinian colt.  All of the other entrants will carry 124 pounds, while Eragon will carry 119.
    Most handicappers believe that it will be a "two horse race" between California Chrome and Arrogate.  I'm assuming that the betting odds will reflect that.
    Following is a list of the entries - post position, name, where bred, jockey, assigned weight, and trainer:
1.     Arrogate    (Ky)             Mike Smith        124#       Bob Baffert
2.     Prayer for Relief (Ky)   F. Geroux            124#      Dale Romans
3.     Neolithic (Ky)               J. Velesquez        124#      Todd Pletcher
4.     Noble Bird (Ky)            J. Leparoux         124#      Mark Casse
5.     War Story (Ky)             A. Gallardo         124#      Jorge Navarro
6.     War Envoy (Ky)            Luis Saez            124#      Mick Ruis
7.     Shaman Ghost (On)       Jose Ortiz           124#      James Jerkens
8.     Semper Fortis (Ky)       T. Gaffalione       124#      Doug O'Neill
9.     Keen Ice (Ky)                J. Castellano       124#      Todd Pletcher
10.   Breaking Lucky (On)    L. Contreras        124#      Reade Baker
11.   Eragon (Arg)                  E. Prado              119#      Laura Wohlers
12.   California Chrome (Ca)  V. Espinoza        124#      Art Sherman

  The following three horses have been designated as alternates:  Stanford will take the place of Arrogate, should Arrogate scratch;  Sea Raven  will replace Breaking Lucky, if scratched; and if California Chrome is scratched, Madefromlucky will run in his place.
   Wishing great racing luck to all of the participants!!

Friday's Kentucky Oaks

The 142nd running of the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs will take place tomorrow.  As in Saturday's Kentucky Derby, this seems to be a sire's stakes race this year.  There are fourteen entries in the Oaks - a Grade 1 race for three-year-old fillies, racing 1 and 1/8 miles on the main dirt track, for a purse of $1 million. Post time is announced for 5:49 p.m. EDT.   I will be listing first, the post position; second, name of the filly; third, morning line betting odds; fourth, the filly's sire;  fifth and sixth, the filly's coat color and state where she was foaled; and, seventh, the name of the trainer (if he/she has a horse in the Derby on Saturday)....

1.    Terra Promessa     10 to 1    Curlin         bay, Kentucky        Steve Asmussen
2.    Weep No More      9 to 2     Mineshaft     chestnut, Kentucky
3.    Lewis Bay             8 to 1     Bernardini    bay, Kentucky
4.    Go Maggie Go     12 to 1    Ghostzapper    bay, Kentucky      Dale Romans
5.    Dream Dance       30 to 1    Afleet Alex     bay, Kentucky
6.    Mokat                  20 to 1    Uncle Mo       bay, Kentucky
7.    Mo d'Amour        30 to 1    Uncle Mo       bay, Kentucky        Todd Pletcher
8.    Royal Obsession   20 to 1    Tapit             grey, Kentucky       Steve Asmussen
9.    Paola Queen         30 to 1    Flatter          bay, Kentucky
10. Venus Valentine     30 to 1     Congrats     bay, Kentucky         Thomas Amoss
11. Rachel's Valentina   7 to 2    Bernardini   bay, Kentucky          Todd Pletcher
12. Cathryn Sophia       9 to 2    Street Boss    bay, Maryland
13. Land Over Sea        5 to 1    Bellamy Road   chestnut, Kentucky     Doug O'Neill
14. Taxable                  20 to 1   Tapit              chestnut, Kentucky    Steve Asmussen

Two fillies sired by Tapit; two sired by Uncle Mo; two sired by Bernardini....
Three trained by Steve Asmussen; two trained by Todd Pletcher....
Mike Smith will ride Taxable; John Velasquez rides Rachel's Valentina....
Rachel Alexandra is the dam of Rachel's Valentina; the dam won the Preakness....